<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a jibe at Derek O'Brien for using phrases like 'freedom of speech' and 'intimidation', saying he thought the TMC member was referring to the situation in West Bengal.</p>.<p>"I was listening to Derek Ji. He was using great words like 'freedom of speech', 'intimidation' and 'hounding'. When I was hearing these words, I was wondering if he was talking about West Bengal or the country.</p>.<p>"It is obvious he sees and hears such things 24 hours. So he probably may have said those things by mistake here (in the House)," Modi said.</p>.<p>He was replying in the Rajya Sabha to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/fdi-is-fear-deception-intimidation-oppn-hits-back-at-pm-modis-fdi-remark-949006.html" target="_blank">FDI is Fear, Deception, Intimidation: Oppn hits back at PM Modi's FDI remark</a></strong></p>.<p>Assembly elections are due in the state later this year. The BJP has been focusing on the state to wrest power from the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government. It has been accusing the West Bengal government of criminalising politics, institutionalising corruption and politicising the police.</p>.<p>Derek, who represents the TMC from West Bengal, had on Thursday last week participated in the discussion.</p>.<p>He had demanded that the government repeal the three controversial farm laws and even offered a 'Repealing Bill 2021' drafted by him for the purpose.</p>.<p>He had interrupted his speech to observe a minute's silence in the House along with other opposition leaders, mainly the Congress, to pay tribute to the farmers who lost their lives during the two-months agitation.</p>.<p>The prime minister also took a jibe at Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa, saying Bajwa too spoke at length while participating in the debate and it seemed he would soon talk about Emergency as well.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a jibe at Derek O'Brien for using phrases like 'freedom of speech' and 'intimidation', saying he thought the TMC member was referring to the situation in West Bengal.</p>.<p>"I was listening to Derek Ji. He was using great words like 'freedom of speech', 'intimidation' and 'hounding'. When I was hearing these words, I was wondering if he was talking about West Bengal or the country.</p>.<p>"It is obvious he sees and hears such things 24 hours. So he probably may have said those things by mistake here (in the House)," Modi said.</p>.<p>He was replying in the Rajya Sabha to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.</p>.<p><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/fdi-is-fear-deception-intimidation-oppn-hits-back-at-pm-modis-fdi-remark-949006.html" target="_blank">FDI is Fear, Deception, Intimidation: Oppn hits back at PM Modi's FDI remark</a></strong></p>.<p>Assembly elections are due in the state later this year. The BJP has been focusing on the state to wrest power from the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government. It has been accusing the West Bengal government of criminalising politics, institutionalising corruption and politicising the police.</p>.<p>Derek, who represents the TMC from West Bengal, had on Thursday last week participated in the discussion.</p>.<p>He had demanded that the government repeal the three controversial farm laws and even offered a 'Repealing Bill 2021' drafted by him for the purpose.</p>.<p>He had interrupted his speech to observe a minute's silence in the House along with other opposition leaders, mainly the Congress, to pay tribute to the farmers who lost their lives during the two-months agitation.</p>.<p>The prime minister also took a jibe at Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa, saying Bajwa too spoke at length while participating in the debate and it seemed he would soon talk about Emergency as well.</p>